Stationers’ debate to see GCA put greeting card industry’s point across on handwriting
Sending greeting cards involves writing them so the upcoming “is there a place for handwriting in a digital age” event from the Stationers’ Company resonates with the greeting card industry.
And GCA ceo Amanda Fergusson is taking part in the discussion on Monday, 23 October, at Stationers’ Hall in London, to put the industry’s point of view which is particularly pertinent since the introduction of the Penny Post in England in 1840 and Sir Henry Cole’s invention of Christmas cards three years later resulted in a huge rise in literacy and revolutionised communication.
The arrival of the internet nearly 150 years later has had an equally dramatic impact on the way people communicate through the written word, yet sales of personal stationery, greeting cards, notebooks, diaries and writing instruments are as strong as ever.
“While some argue there will be no place for handwriting in the future, there are many who hold a completely different view” said Stationers’ liveryman Christopher Leonard-Morgan, who founded the London Stationery Show and Handwriting Matters campaign.
“There is growing evidence of the advantages and benefits of writing by hand and these will be discussed by a panel of industry leaders who will separate the myths from the facts, and address the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead.”
The event will be chaired by Helen Esmonde, the Stationers’ Company’s first Lady Master whose publishing and stationery business produced stationery for major UK retailers including John Lewis, WHSmith, Paperchase, Waterstones and Liberty for over 30 years.
Manuscript Brands is sponsoring the debate at the 350-year-old hall near St Paul’s Cathedral, which is open to both members and non-members, with tickets costing £35 to attend in person or £10 for online streaming, available here.
As writing by hand faces as big a threat today from new media and technology as manuscript writers did over 500 years ago when William Caxton introduced printing to England, the other speakers include Graham Craik, sales director of Pentel and chairman of the Writing Instruments Association, and Dr Mellissa Prunty, National Handwriting Association chair and divisional lead and reader in occupational therapy at London’s Brunel University.
While the world is full of stationery lovers and users, some commentators claim no one writes by hand any more, and claim letter writing and card sending are in serious decline.
However, world population and literacy levels are rising but so are postage costs and service levels are falling against the backdrop of ever-increasing digital communication.
The subject has major implications for many including schools and teachers, printers and publishers, and retailers and suppliers of greeting cards, writing and paper products.
The debate will look at the facts, trends and threats, what the future holds – and decide if being able to write by hand matters anymore.
